Brake cup tool

ABSTRACT

A brake cup tool is provided having a generally cylindrical head, a frustoconical opening in one end of said head adapted to frictionally engage a brake cup, a yoke connecting said head to an elongated axially extending handle whereby openings are provided for visibility within the head. The handle is a hollow tubular member receiving electrical batteries and carrying a lamp in an axial opening in the end adjacent the yoke. A switch is provided on the body, preferably at the end opposite the yoke.

United States Patent Paul R. Leo

1008 Rutgers Drive, Allison Park. Pa. 15101; Lorenzo L. Fowler, 1935 Melvina Street, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15212 [211 App]. No. 839,477 7 [22] Filed July 7,1969

[45] Patented June 29, 1971 [72] Inventors [54] BRAKE CUP TOOL '2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl... 240/6.46, 81/121 [51] Int. Cl ..B43k 29/10,

F2lv33/00,B25b 13/06 [50], Field of Search 121-2, 121-3, 122, 123, 124.1;240/6.46

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,321,776 11/1919 Stepanian 81/120 2,783,364 2/1957 Wood 240/646 2,134,081 10/1938 Gaede 240/6.46 1,324,042 12/1919 Gay 8l/124.1UX

Primary Examiner-James L. Jones, Jr. Ar!0rne \'Bue11, Blenko & Ziesenheim [15 I l/l PATENTEU JUH29 \an INVENTORS Paul R. Leo 8: Lorenzo L. Fowler fia z/z 4,

BRAKE cur TOOL This invention relates to brake cup tools and particularly to a lighted tool for removing and installing brake cups and the like in automotive brake systems.

The problems of removing the cups from the holddown springs of brake shoes, particularly of Bendix-type automotive brake systems, are well known. The holddown cups are, as the name implies, generally cup-shaped and relatively small and quite difficult to remove. Each such cup has a slotted elongated opening at its center to receive the holddown pinhead and a depressed elongated groove transverse to the slot to receive the holddown pinhead to lock the cup in position on the pin. In order to place the cup, the holddown spring must be depressed with. the cup while the pin is held in place until the head passes through the slot, then the cup must be turned 90 to bring the head in line with the groove in the cup and then the spring is released to force the cup into tight engagement with the head of the pin in the groove of the cup. In the past, this has been done by holding the cup in a pair of pliers. This has been less than satisfactory because the visibility is poor and the cup very difficult to hold and center using a pair of pliers. This problems has existed for many years with no really satisfactory solution.

The present invention provides a tool for removing and placing brake cups which eliminates all the problems discussed above. The tool of this invention not only engages and holds the cup but provides a self-contained light source preaimed at the area of the slot and groove in the cup where visibility is poorest and where the problems of placement are particularly difficult.

Preferably we provide a brake cup tool having a cylindrical head, a frustoconical opening in one end of said head adapted to frictionally engage a brake cup, a pair of opposed notches in the head at said opening, a yoke at the opposite end of said head, a tubular body connected to said yoke spaced from said head adapted to receive an electrical battery, an opening in the end of said body at the axis thereof adjacent in connection with the yoke receiving a lamp to be energized by said battery and a switch positioned on the tubular member and movable to make and break contact between the batteries and lamp. Preferably the switch is mounted in a threaded cap threadingly engaging the body at the end thereof opposite the yoke.

In the foregoing general description of our invention, we have set out certain objects, purposes and advantages of our invention. Other objects, purposes and advantages of this invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the tool of this invention, partly cutaway;

FIG. 2 is an end view from the head of the tool;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of a Bendix-type brake assembly showing how the tool is used.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a brake cup.

Referring to the drawings, we have illustrated a tool according to our invention having a generally cylindrical head 10 with a frustoconical opening 11 in one end thereof having opposed notches 12 on the periphery. A yoke 13 connects head 10 to a hollow tubular body 14 adapted to receive batteries 15 to energize a lamp 16 held in axial opening 17 in the end of the body 14 adjacent its connection with yoke 13. The yoke connection leaves access openings 18 between the body 14 and head 10 for clear visibility within the head 10. A threaded end cap 19 closes the end of body 14 opposite the yoke. End cap 19 is provided with an axial moving switch member 20 which when depressed forces the batteries against spring 21 into contact with the lamp 16 so as to cause it to light.

The device is operated by pushing the head opening 11 over cup 30 while depressing switch member 20 to provide light. Continued pressure on cup 30 causes it to depress spring 31 around pin 32. This depresses cap 30 so that the flattened head 33 of pin 32 is released from groove 34 of cup 30 at which point the tool and cup 30 are rotated to a ign the head 33 with slot 35 in cup 30. At this point the tool is removed bringing cup 30 with it in frictional engagement. Preferably the frustoconical opening is knurled on its surface or provided with a surface finish to produce a maximum frictional engagement with the brake cup.

While we have illustrated and described a presently preferred embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that this invention may otherwise be embodied within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A brake cup tool comprising a generally cylindrical head having a frustoconical opening in one end adapted to frictionally engage a circular brake cup over substantially all of its annular periphery, a handle spaced from and extending axially of said head, a yoke connecting said handle and head to provide openings therebetween through which the interior axis of the head is visible said handle being hollow to receive electrical batteries and being provided with an axial opening receiving a lamp bulb at the end adjacent the yoke and with a switch on the body electrically connecting the batteries and lamp.

2. A brake cup tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the body is provided with a threaded end cap at the end opposite the yoke having an axially movable switch. 

1. A brake cup tool comprising a generally cylindrical head having a frustoconical opening in one end adapted to frictionally engage a circular brake cup over substantially all of its annular periphery, a handle spaced from and extending axially of said head, a yoke connecting said handle and head to provide openings therebetween through which the interior axis of the head is visible said handle being hollow to receive electrical batteries and being provided with an axial opening receiving a lamp bulb at the end adjacent the yoke and with a switch on the body electrically connecting the batteries and lamp.
 2. A brake cup tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the body is provided with a threaded end cap at the end opposite the yoke having an axially movable switch. 